Maher Chasing Consecutive Pago Pago Victories

Successful 12 months ago with the Aquis-owned Prague (Redoute's Choice), Ciaron Maher Racing will rely on another colt in the Aquis silks, this time Bruckner (Snitzel-Jestajingle, by Lonhro), to give the stable back-to-back race wins in the Gr3 Pago Pago Stakes (1200m), and in the process secure a last-minute position in the next Saturday's Gr1 Golden Slipper (1200m). The top priced lot at the 2020 Inglis Premier yearling sale when knocked down to Aquis and Maher for $725,000, the colt is out of the Lonhro mare Jestajingle, a half-sister to the former Maher-trained, and now Aquis stallion Jukebox (Snitzel). Bruckner was third on debut in the Black Opal Preview (100m) behind Pretty Woman (Written Tycoon); the runner up that day was the Richard and Michael Freedman-trained Glistening (Zoustar) who at her next start came to town and was all class last Saturday winning the Gr2 Riesling Stakes to secure herself a start in the Slipper. Currently rated as one of the outsiders of the field behind Godolphin's race favourite Ingratiating (Frosted-Obsequious, by Lonhro), a last start runner up in the Gr1 Blue Diamond, Bruckner has the services of Jason Collett in the saddle and from barrier three should be able to settle handy.